Jade Marquez, a senior at Glendale High School, is the youngest of five siblings in a Mexican family. She loves being outdoors and has many hobbies, such as hiking, snowboarding, going to the beach, painting, and baking. 

But more than anything, Jade loves hanging out with her family and friends. While all these activities are her favorites, softball is one of the ways she stays active and has fun with others. 

Jade comes from a large family where softball and baseball have always been a big part of their lives. This fact inspired her to start playing softball. She first played the sport as a kid, but she took a break before joining the Nitro softball team. 

Jade is now a varsity co-captain and is very proud of how far she has come. She believes her team is so special because everyone is so well bonded, and everyone’s personalities mix so well. 

For Jade, softball practices and games have never felt like an obligation, because she says it feels like a big friend group hanging out. “All the girls are so good at what they do and constantly work to improve,” she said. “We are all friends who uplift each other. We can be serious but also lighthearted even after bad outcomes.”

As Jade looks ahead to her future, she has committed to the Nursing program at Cal State LA. She’s sad to think about leaving her team after this year, but she’s incredibly grateful for the friendships and memories she’s made with everyone over the years.

Jade is very excited to be attending college next year. While she hasn’t decided yet whether she’ll continue playing softball at Cal State LA, whether she plays or not, we will all miss her!

Jade is an incredible athlete, an amazing friend, and, of course, a wonderful co-captain for our Nitro team. If you see Jade around campus, please make sure to say hello! 

And, if you are interested in joining next year’s Nitro softball team, please email Coach Forrest Brakeman at [email protected]. You should also talk to your counselor if you want to play sports in the upcoming school year.